Curtido (Salvadoran Pickled Cabbage Slaw)

A lightly pickled cabbage coleslaw (curtido) that can be eaten as-is or served as a topping with tacos, pupusas, burgers, soups etc.

When it comes to greens and veggies, I personally find it tastes best when it’s raw because of the fresh crunch and natural flavors so it’s no surprise that whenever I get a side of curtido in its little plastic baggy with my pupusas it always reminds me that this is a fantastic slaw to just have around the house all the time because it is light, easy to make and only slightly pickled so you can eat it all the time, anytime.

Curtido is very easy to make, and oddly not very easy to find in stores where I am from. It usually isn’t sold at restaurants as well because it is usually served as a free side or topping so I decided to put together this recipe so it can be enjoyed anytime in a snap.

 

INGREDIENTS FOR CURTIDO

• Mexican Oregano – Traditionally, Mexican oregano should be used for this recipe but it may be hard to find. As a substitute I have used regular oregano and it works just as well. I have also used Italian seasoning as well (combination of dried basil, thyme and oregano) and that also works very well as well. The main difference is Mexican oregano a lot more intense and has a spicier kick than regular oregano so the substitution will not be exact but it will still be flavorful.
• Cabbage – I like to use green cabbage for this recipe but I have made this with napa cabbage before as well and it works just as well but it has less of a crunch.
• Vinegar – I have tested this on many types of vinegars and I found that the simple white vinegar works best because it is not over powering.
• Onion – For this recipe, I like to use red onions because of the vibrant color.
• Jalapeno – Jalapeno is completely optional if you like your curtido a bit spicy.

 

CURTIDO WITH A TWIST? SWITCH UP THE CABBAGE!

If you follow along, you’ll know I love traditional recipes but I also love adding twists to recipes as well. Traditionally, curtido is made with green cabbage but I have tried using Asian nappa cabbage for this recipe and it works just as well! The main difference between the two cabbages is texture. I find nappa cabbage a bit more leafier and lighter so the slaw has a bit less crunch but it absorbs the brine quicker from it’s soft leaves. Nappa cabbage also has a hint of sweetness to it as well, and it comes through in the slaw.

HOW TO MAKE CARROT SLIVERS WITHOUT A MANDOLIN

One of the most tedious tasks in the kitchen is cutting carrots into thin slivers, especially when you don’t have a mandolin since carrots are usually so tough to cut through.

Thankfully there’s an easy way to do this, and you don’t need a mandolin – you just need a knife and a vegetable peeler.

Basically after I peel a carrot, I lay it down on the cutting board side ways in front of me. I put my hand on the thinner end of the carrot to hold it down and take my knife and roughly make random hacking chops at the thicker end of the carrot, careful not to do it too hard – your goal is to make slits on the carrots but not cut all the way through. Make sure your fingers and hands are no where close to where you are hacking away at the carrot.

Once you get a decent amount of hacks in, run the vegetable peeler down the cuts and voila, you have slivers. Repeat the process until it is difficult to peel the carrot and cut the rest by hand.

 

MY SECRET CURTIDO INGREDIENT – HOT WATER

When you layer the onions at the very top of the bowl and pour hot water over it, it cooks the onions slightly so it removes that harsh raw onion bite, which balances out the flavors in this curtido. The cool thing is, since the onions are very slightly cooked, it brings out the natural sweetness in them as well which works beautifully with this slaw.

(Note: I use hot water not boiling water. If you are heating your water from a kettle let it sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool it before pouring it over the slaw.)

When you are putting this together, don’t worry if it looks like there is not enough brine. While you are mixing the slaw with your hand (and you should use your hand), give the cabbage a few firm squeezes to bruise the cabbage – this will not only soften the cabbage more quickly and the salts will also draw out the water from the cabbage which will give you more brine.

LOOKING FOR MORE SALAD RECIPES?  TRY THESE!

• Watermelon Feta Salad with Pickled Daikons
• Apple Broccoli Salad with Sweet & Spicy Gochujang Dressing

DID YOU MAKE THIS CURTIDO? 

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